How to make a great first impression at work...

While you’re getting in at the ground floor, you can really go places if you work hard, support your team and show a determination to succeed writes Lisa Hughes ACA.

A few years ago, I started my training contract in KPMG’s audit division. I remember the nervous anticipation, wanting to make a good first impression and the awkwardness of the first weeks while I found my feet. Later, I realised that everyone else felt just as nervous as me. With the benefit of having made – and learned from – a few mistakes, here are some tips to help you put your best foot forward.

Be enthusiastic: be prepared for the fact that the work delegated to you initially may not be the most glamorous. We all have to start somewhere and it’s important to demonstrate that you’re willing to help others and do the more mundane tasks, if required, while learning the ropes.

Be available: make yourself available for work and, more importantly, make it known to your seniors or managers. When you’re finished your work, ask your senior or manager, or other seniors within your group, if you can help them with anything else. If they don’t have anything for you to do, let your manager know that you have capacity to assist them. If, at that stage, you haven’t been assigned any work for a period, use this free time productively (for example, print off your lecture notes or study for upcoming assessments).

Be open: always inform seniors or management of any work-related issues. There’s nothing more frustrating than encountering a problem at the end of an audit simply because someone didn’t highlight the problem sooner.

Be curious: ask questions. You’ll learn more by asking questions and filling the knowledge gaps wherever possible. However, it’s important to try to figure things out yourself first as this will benefit you more in the long run and will also be appreciated by your line manager.

Be eager to learn: sign up for any relevant internal training. Use this opportunity to develop your technical knowledge as much as possible and demonstrate that you are keen to develop your skillset and add value, both for your colleagues and for your employer.

Be sociable: go for lunch with your peers and attend social events offered by your firm or CASSI, as this will help you to get to know others within your firm and your broader network. And maintain a healthy balance between having a few drinks and going overboard – you’re still on the clock!

Be studious: attend as many lectures as possible and remember, all lectures are available online if you need to catch up.

Be prepared: prepare for interim assessments. It’s a great opportunity to get some early revision done and can significantly reduce the pressure of having to achieve a mark of 50% (in the case of CAP1/CAP2) if you perform well.

Be well-dressed: dress professionally at all times, particularly if you’re client-facing. You’re not only representing yourself, you’re also representing your firm.

I hope that these few tips will help as you work your way through those first few nerve-racking weeks as a trainee Chartered Accountant in a new role or department.

When it comes to first impressions, it’s the little things that count so be professional, be prepared and continually improve your performance, writes Aisling Gallagher ACA.

I joined the tax practice in KPMG as a graduate in September 2011 after graduating with a degree in Accounting & Finance and a Masters in Accounting from Dublin City University (DCU). Anyone who works in tax will know that joining at that time of year means you’re straight into business, so it’s the perfect time to prove yourself (or otherwise!). First impressions are everything and it really is the little things that count.

Be professional: it’s cliché but you’re joining a professional services firm and looking the part, arriving on time, having a good handshake and being professional in all communications is essential. Yes, that means no email emoticons (at least in the beginning!).

Remember that ‘all work is good work’: as with most things in life, starting out means finding your feet and getting to know the business from the bottom up is what it’s all about in the early days. Shed all airs and graces and remember there’s room to do a good job on everything. By getting the simple tasks done right, you’ll quickly progress to greater things.

Ask questions and clarify expectations: when you’re given work, ask for background and how your task fits into the big picture. Question until you are 100% sure you understand the job, what’s required, how long it should take to complete and, most importantly, the deadline. Let your manager know if you’re doing work for other people and ask which should take priority.

Be equipped with a notebook and pen: there’s no point asking all the right questions above and then forgetting the answers! Take clear notes when being asked to do a job, on calls or in meetings.

Triple check everything: attention to detail speaks volumes for first impressions on the quality of your work. Re-read emails for typos and check tots before sending them on for review.

Learn from your mistakes: everybody makes mistakes but not everyone learns from them. Keep track of managers’ preferences or review points they’ve made before, and use them as a checklist going forward.

Seek feedback: don’t be afraid to ask if you’ve done a good job on something or if there’s anything you could’ve done differently or better. Accept feedback gracefully and apply going forward.

Keep busy: make sure you let people know the status of your work and workload. Be proactive and ask for more work when you’re finished a job or if there’s a lull. Lend a helping hand to your peers – everyone appreciates a team player.

Be social: it really is the people that make the job. Attend social events and make an effort to get to know the people you work with and for, not just your intake. You’ll make friends right from the beginning.

Smile: it’s likely that you’re starting your first real job and a new chapter in life. Embrace it, be enthusiastic, positive and smile!